The Voyage Home's International Prologue in HD

[Cryogenator]

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Through this post on r/startrek, I just learned that The Voyage Home was released abroad with an opening captain's log not seen in America. It was officially released on VHS and DVD but never on Blu-ray or streaming. However, I found a high-definition recreation which was uploaded to YouTube last year.

 

[JamesRye]

Nice. I always liked the prologue.

Re-watched this film recently with my kids, it really holds up

 

[Moviefan2k4]

Its a very well-done setup. I'm surprised that Paramount never officially used it on their own turf.

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

It's mystifying how the entire international cut (it had its own title and everything !) is very nearly lost to time at this point. I made a post of my own about it not too long ago (shameless plug): https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/the-voyage-home-star-trek-iv-the-1987-international-version.314449/

 

[StalwartUK]

Basically they downplayed the "Star Trek" part in the hope of attracting new audiences.

I don't think Star Trek II or especially III were shown theatrically in many countries hence the prologue recapping the story.

Of course they would eventually drop the reversed title with the last VHS releases and into the DVD era in the late 90s though they kept the prologue, which probably confused as many people as it helped since you probably just watched the VHS/DVD of the previous movies.

 

[somebuddyX]

As a kid we had Star Trek II and IV on home taped video tapes and the intro was the only way I knew what happened in Star Trek III until I was a teenager.

 

[mb22]

Is there a list of which countries had which (or any) theatrical or home video releases?

 

[Iamnotspock]

It's mystifying how the entire international cut (it had its own title and everything !) is very nearly lost to time at this point. I made a post of my own about it not too long ago (shameless plug): https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/the-voyage-home-star-trek-iv-the-1987-international-version.314449/

I've seen that version once, in the early nineties on ITV - the first time I saw the film - and never again.

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

Some more international flavor (flavour?) for The Voyage Home: Star Trek IV! UK trailer:

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[Therin of Andor]

... especially III were shown theatrically in many countries hence the prologue recapping the story.

In Australia, ST III was supposed to premiere in a new cinema complex in Sydney, built on the site of the old Paramount Theatre, where TMP had premiered in 1979. But the George Street Cinema Complex was stalled at hole-in-the-ground status, so the movie was in limbo from 1st June until 6th December(!), when ST III went to a different cinema instead. I suspect we almost missed it, like parts of Europe did. (We didn't see that prologue until the ST IV came out on VHS, though. Australia's CIC-Taft used the UK master, not the US one.)

ST IV eventually became the big opener for the George Street Cinema Complex.

Is there a list of which countries had which (or any) theatrical or home video releases?

Not complete, but many of the international premiere dates are on IMDb under each movie's entry.

 

[Tomalak]

It really annoys me that this isn't on the 4K release. It's an integral part of the movie for European fans, and surely it's an interesting curio for the North American audience?

I'm not so bothered about the alternate title, but the prologue could easily have been recut from the 4K master if they'd wanted to. But no. So I'll keep hold of my Region 2 DVD!